Joint admission-alumni effort targets socioeconomic diversity

Posted March 20, 2006; 05:15 p.m.

by Karin Dienst

As part of its goal to expand the recruitment of students from all
socioeconomic backgrounds, the Admission Office has partnered with the Alumni
Schools Committees (ASC) of Washington, D.C., and Boston in a pilot project
targeting public high schools in those cities.

The purpose of the project is to build long-term relationships with
the target schools to increase awareness of the opportunities afforded by
highly selective universities and Princeton, in particular.

“I think that this is a fabulous program, and I am so pleased that
the alumni are willing to join a partnership with us,” said Dean of Admission
Janet Rapelye. “We can’t expect students to come to us if we’re not willing to
go to them.”

Rapelye emphasized the importance of establishing relationships
with the target schools rather than prematurely assessing results. “This is
going to be a building project, and we already have students coming to
Princeton as a result of it. It’s more about the relationships we’re creating
with the schools, and having more visibility in specific areas,” she said.

Now in its second year, the Washington project is focusing on 12
area high schools — up from 10 the first year — whose students are largely or
predominantly minority and low- to moderate-income. The Boston project is in
its first year and is working with nine schools.

According to Martin Gruenberg, co-chair of Washington’s ASC and a
member of the class of 1975, the top students in these schools typically apply
to state institutions, universities that provide merit scholarships and
historically black colleges.

“What is really needed is an outreach effort targeting public
schools to let them know that Princeton is well within reach, and that
financial aid is available on a need basis,” said Gruenberg. “Princeton’s
financial aid program makes the University affordable to anybody regardless of
the income of their family.”

The University has implemented a number of significant changes to
its financial aid program in recent years, including replacing loans with
grants, which do not have to be repaid.

Across the country and internationally, more than 5,000 alumni
serve as Princeton ambassadors through their Alumni Schools Committees and
focus on interviewing applicants to Princeton. In the pilot project in
Washington and Boston, the roles of alumni volunteers are greatly expanded
through activities scheduled throughout the year.

Based on the first year of the Washington program, organizers have
established four main components of the recruitment pilot project. The
initiative normally starts in the fall and extends to late spring, although the
timing will vary in different locations.

First, there is an initial visit to each target school by a
Princeton admission officer and approximately three local alumni. The visit
includes a presentation about the University to interested students, and a
meeting with the guidance counselor. Second, the Admission Office and ASC host
a breakfast for the guidance counselors from all of the target schools to
discuss Princeton and selective college admissions. Third, the Admission Office
and ASC sponsor an event for promising high school juniors, who are invited
based on the recommendations of school guidance counselors. Fourth, the
Admission Office and ASC host an evening program for freshmen, sophomores and
juniors from the target schools, as well as their families, to discuss
selective college admissions and Princeton.

“I am not aware of any college that has tried this kind of outreach
effort,” said Gruenberg. “The responses of students at the target schools have
been uniformly positive.”

In Boston, Andrew Hoffman, vice president of the Princeton
Association of New England and a member of the class of 1989, said that they
are following the model of the Washington project for their start-up year, and
are enjoying great interest among alumni.

“For the first week of school visits this February, 28 alumni
signed up,” said Hoffman. “There is so much interest among alumni, and we know
we have to earn our way in and earn respect from the schools.”

Since these are the early days of the initiative, Rapelye said she
is most interested in solidifying the success of the program in Washington and
Boston before considering expanding it to other cities.

She also noted that other geographical areas could require
variations of the program. “Public schools in different areas have developed
differently,” she said. “And cities have different constituencies across the
country. Also, not every high school has a guidance counselor — these positions
are being eliminated in some parts of the country — and we would have to
consider how we would work with such schools.

“I have great enthusiasm for the program and a deep appreciation
for what the alumni are doing,” added Rapelye. “And if it were not for Marty
Gruenberg, we would not be where we are right now.”

According to Gruenberg, the pilot project also has benefited from
the support of the Association of Black Princeton Alumni and the National
Schools Committee, a standing committee of the Alumni Council that assists the
ASCs.